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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam
The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.
Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.
Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!
Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.
Click here to report a problem with this page.
Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- m.ronald@consultant.com (Outblaze.com, Hong Kong; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: MARTIN
Reply-To: <m.ronald@consultant.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2015 10:18:02 +0530
Subject: GREETINGS.
Hi, Pardon me for not having the pleasure of knowing your mindset before ma=
king you this offer and it is utterly confidential and genuine by virtue of=
its nature.I write to solicit your assistance in a funds transfer deal of =
my late client involving US$ 3.5M.This fund wants to be confiscated by Comm=
ercial Bank which I am the solicitor of my late client. I have already subm=
itted a memo to the bank letting them know as his lawyer that a next of kin=
/beneficiary of my late client will be contacted hence i search you to be p=
resented . Upon your response, I will configure your name on our database t=
o present you to the bank with all legal documents that will back up this c=
laim.I will then guide you on how to apply for the Account Closure/ bank-to=
-bank remittance of the funds to your designated bank account. If you concu=
r with this proposal, I intend for you to retain 40% of the funds while 60%=
shall be for me.Reply to(m.ronald@consultant.com) Kindly forward your resp=
onse. With Regards, Barr Martin Ronald=20
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Anti-fraud resources:
